Electric signal-switch



C. C. BAGNELL'.

ELECTRlC SIGNAL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2z. 192|.

1 ,396,088, Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

UNITED STATES -PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL-SWITCH.

Application filed April 22, 1921.

To ZZ 207mm t may con-cera.'

Be it knownV that I, CHRISTOPHER C. BAG- NELL, citizen of the United States, residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signal-Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to electric railway signal switches and has special reference to that class of switch which is operated by the wheels of a car passing overt-he railway track, and which class of switches are operatively associated with an electric circuit for ringing a bell or flashing a light at a grade crossing of the railway track.

The principal object of the invention is to provide aI simple, practical and reliable switch of this type which will be positively closed at every engagement with the wheel traveling in one direction, but which will fail to close when engaged by a wheel traveling in the opposite direction. Y

Other objects and advantages of the peculiar structure will appear in the further description of the invention:

Referring to the accompanying drawing forming part of this application in which like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my improved switches showing its coperative relation to a rail and with the switch box cover removed, and i Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the box, showing the rail in section and a fragmental portion of a wheel mounted upon the rail.

1 represents a rectangularly shaped c ontaining box in which the switch mechanism is mounted and the box is designed to be permanently installed in an inclined position against the rail with suitable adJustable holding brackets 12 engaging the ties 13 of the track, as clearly shown in the drawing.

lVithin this box is installed a common knife blade switch 16, having the ordinary electric connections therewith, the blade of which is shown at 2. Upon the free end of the blade 2 is attached a vertically disposed insulated head member 8, the lower end of which is engaged upon the free end of the leaf spring 3, the stationary end of which spring is suitably mounted as at 17, so as to normally hold the head 8 of the blade 2 in its uppermost open position, A suitable Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

Serial No. 463,717.

stop or pin 18 is provided to govern the uppermost extreme position of the spring 3, and a like pin or4 stop 19 is provided above the knife 2 of the switch to similarlv regulate its uppermost position. u

Upon the inner, upper corner of the box 1, and formed integral therewith, is an upwardly extending flange portion 14 which butts against the under side of tlie bulb of the rail 15, thus spacing the top of the box slightly below the bulb of the rail. Through the top of the box, substantially centrally thereof, is formed a rectangularly shaped opening 20, through which extends the upper end of the plunger 4, which is somewhat smaller in width than the opening 20is in length, so that it may rock back and forth in said opening. This plunger is mounted upon a pin 5 within the box and such mountingcomprises a vertically slotted hole 6 in which the pin 5 is engaged, thus permittingl of the plunger operating both vertically and rockably. The plunger is held normally in its uppermost vertical posit-ion by a leaf spring 7, similar to the spring 3 and mounted within the box in much the same maiiner, and the lower end of the plunger being square and resting upon the flat spring whose uppermost position is substantially horizontal, will tend to keep the plunger in a vertical position. i

Now as a common wheel, such as indicated at 10, traverses the rail 15 in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. l, it is apparent that the flange 9 of said wheel will engage the upper end of the plunger 4 and force it downwardly in the slot in the upper face of the box, and the plunger, being so positioned above the head 8 of the switch as to be directly over same when in its vertical pc sition, when thus thrust downwardly by the wheel, the lower corner of same will become engaged with the upepr end of the head 8 and force the blade of the switch downwardly with it, thus closing the switch. This closing of the electric circuit will occur every time a wheel flange engages the plunger 4 and the latter will return to its disengaged position by the action of the spring 7, simultaneously with a like return to open position of the knife blade switch by the action of the spring 3.

Now in the event of a wheel traversing the rail 15 in the opposite direction to that Shown by the arrow in Fis l it is apparent that the flange of the wheel will engage the upper end of the plunger 4 in a like manner to that when the wheel was traveling in the Vopposite direction, but the opening 2O being larger than the plunger l and such eXcess oit Space in the opening` being on that side of the plunger toward the switch, the engagement of the wheel with the upper end of the plunger will' tend to rst tip it over before depressing same when it will assume the position shown in dotted lines at 11 in Fig. l of the drawing. When thus depressed the lower end of thefplunger will entirely escape contact with the head 8 of the switch blade and fail to operate same. It is to be understood that the switch will be so positioned in relation to the rail and the place whereA the signal is required, that the proper functioning-of the signal will occur when the wheels means for normally holding the blade oi tne switch in open position, a vertically recip- Yrocal plungerabove the switch, means for normally holding the plunger in vertical position outl of engagement -with the switch and means whereby when the plunger is operated by a wheel traversing the rail in one direction it will close the switch, but when engaged bya wheel traveling-in the opposite direction it w'll fail to close the switch.

2. ln a signal switch of the class described comprising a suitable housing, a knife blade switchwithin the housing, means for holding the blade of the switch normally open, a vertically reciprocal pivoted plunger above the tree end of the blade of' theswitch, means for holding the plunger upi'ight Vand disengaged from the blade of the switch, whereby when the plunger is operated when in such position, it willV engage Athe blade of the switch, and means whereby the plunger may be'incliiied in position and operated without engaging the switch, substantially as and for the purpose described.'

3.1The combination with a railway railY upon which wheels having langes thereupon travehvof a signaling device comprising a normally opened knife switch and one piece vertically reciprocal means coperativelyassociated with the switch and ,directly engageable by theV flanges of said wheels and means whereby Vthe .reciprocal means when engaged by the flange of a wheel traveling iii one direction will operate the switch, but when engaged bythe flange or" a wheel traveling in the opposite direction' will not operp ,ate the switch.

In testimony whereof l'hereunto altij; my signature inV the presence of two witnesses.

UHRSTOPHER CQBAGNELL.

lVitnesses: A

S. C. BRoNsoN, n S..Gno.S'rnvnNs. 

